More than 40 percent of the 47,924 households in La Crosse County are teetering on the edge of financial insecurity, and over 11 percent live in poverty, according to a new study from United Way of Wisconsin.
According to figures released on the basis of United Way’s ALICE initiative, the situation is worse within the city of La Crosse. Nearly 63 percent of households are pushed to the brink when it comes to meeting basic needs. ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
The ALICE threshold chronicles people whose income is above the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford basic necessities such as health care, transportation, and food.
The good news is that we are here to help. A United Way Agency, The Hunger Task Force fights food insecurity in the La Crosse area by providing over 2.5 million pounds of donated food to our network of food pantries, meal sites, and youth programs.
DID YOU KNOW?
49 Million Americans struggle with food insecurity!
1 in 4 people in the Great Rivers Region are considered poor or near poor. (COMPASS Report)
Nearly half of the students in the school district of La Crosse receive free or reduced meals.
Over 81% of local food pantry users earn less than $1000 per month.
91% of those enrolled in W-2 and working use food pantries to get food when they do not have enough to eat.